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GAB. BUFFER.

No. 495,061. l Patented Apr. 1l, 1893.

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(No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet` 2. W. F. RICHARDS.

GAR BUFFER.

Patented Apr. 1l, 1893.

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(No Moden.) asheets-'sheen a. W. P. RICHARDS.

GAR BUFFER.

Patented Apr. 11,1893.

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GAR BUFFER. No. 495,06l. Patented Apr. 1l, 1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT VLLARD F. RCHARDS, OF BUFFALO, ASSIGNOR TO THEGOULD COUPLER COMPANY, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

CAR-BUFFER.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 495,061, dated April11, 1893. Application led December 22, 1892. Serial No. 455,994. (Nomodel.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern: n bufferY with simple and effective springmeeh- Beit known that l, W'ILLARD F. RICHARDS, anism which acts not onlyto right or square a citizen of the United States, residing at Bufthebuiier'when swung out of its normal posifalo, in the county of Erie andState of New tion, but which at the same time augmente the York, haveinvented new and useful Improvepower of the buffer springs on thecarrying 55 ments in Oar-Buffers, of which the following is stem of thebuffer, without offering excessive a specification. additionalresistance to the light entension My invention relates more especiallyto that spring of the louder. class of car buffers or yielding platformex- In the accompanying drawings consisting of 1o tensions which arepivotally supported at the four sheetsz--Figure 1 is a sectional topplan 6o end of the car, so as to be capable of assumview of the platformof a railway car proing an angular position with reference to the videdwith my improved buffer mechanism, same in rounding curves, and in whichthe showing the bilder free or fully projected, the bueris provided onopposite sides of its pivot ooring of the platform being omitted to ex-:5 with righting springs for returning it to its pose subjacent parts.Fig. 2 is a top plan 65 normal position parallel with the end of theview of the platform, showing the position of car after passing a curve.The buifer is usuthe parts when the buffer is pressed inward allysupported uponastem or bar upon which by contact with an adjoining car,and the is arranged a comparatively light spring for coupled cars are inline or running on a zo holding it in its extended position and aheavystraight section of track. Fig. 3 is a similar 7o buder spring foropposing any violent shocks view showing 'the position of the parts whenreceived by the cars. Prior to my invention, the buffer is pressedinward and swung atan these buiers were provided with righting angle tothe end of the car in rounding a springs which served the additionalfunction curve. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional eleof supplementingthe buffing action of the vation on line lf-4, Fig. 1. 75 springs on thebuffer stem; and in order to Like letters of reference refer to likeparts hold the buffer in its normal position with in the severalfigures. sufiicient security to prevent its rattling when A representsthe longitudinal timbers of free or out of contact with an opposing car,the stationary car platform, B the cross timthese combined righting andbuing springs ber connecting the outer ends of the longi- 80 were madeof such a length as to be under tudinal timbers, and O the end sill ofthe car partial compression in the free or projected body. position ofthebudei; YVhen extended to its D is the draw bar which may be of anyoutermost position, the buffer usually'l prowell known construction.

jects about two inches beyond the retracted E is the louder or yieldingplatform exten- 85 position which it occupies when the car is sion,consisting preferably of a transverse coupled to an opposing car, sothat when the vertical buffer plate having at its-upper end rightingsprings of the buffer are already para horizontal threshold plate e,extending intially compressed in the extended position of wardly overthe end timber B and which is 4o the buifer, as above mentioned, theresistance overlapped by a foot plate e', secured to the 9o olfered bysuch springs must be overcome in upper side of the end timber. additionto that of the light extension spring F is the main buffer bar or sternwhich carof the buffer in coupling and uncoupling the ries the buffer E,at its outer end, and is ears, which is objectionable because in orderguided with its outer portion in an opening to facilitate theseoperations, the resistance formed in the end timber of the platform and95 power of the springs which press out the with its inner portion in asimilar opening buifer should be as light as possible, and yet formed ina transverse block F', secured besufticient to project the buffer to therequired tween the longitudinal central timbers of the extant platform.The bilder is pivoted centrally to 5o The object of my invention is toprovide the l the outer end of the main buffer stem by a reo verticalpin or bolt, so as to be free to oscillate and assume an angularposition with relation to the end of the stationary platform.

H represents the light spiral springarranged on the contracted innerportion of the butter stem between the shoulder on the latter and theblock F', whereby the buffer is yieldingly held in its extendedposition.

I is the main or heavy buffer spring, surrounding the light extensionspring H and which sustains any heavy1 shocks which overpower the lightextension spring.

K K represent the rlongitudinal stay rods or side stems of the bufferwhich are pivoted at their outer ends to the buffer on opposite sides ofits pivot and are guided with their outer portions in openings Zt formedin the end timber B. The inner portions of these stay rods slide inhollow followers or longitudinally movable tubes L, which are guided iin horizontal openings formed in lugs orbrackets Z, projecting from theinner sides of the longitudinal timbers A. The outward movement of eachof these rods in its follower, is limited by a key or cross pin marranged in an opening in the inner end thereof.

N N are combined bufiing'and righting springs surrounding the contractedportion of the side stems. Each of these springs bears with its outerend against a collar or washer n arranged loosely on the stem andadapted to abut against the end sill, and with its inner end against asimilar collar n', also surronndingthestem and adapted to abut againstthe outer end of the tubularfollower L. The latter collar may however,be `formed in one piece with the tubular follower if desired. Theshoulders 0 at the front ends of the reduced portions of the stems areso arranged, and the springs are made of such a length, that when thebuffer is 4fully extended, the shoulders stand a short distance inadvance of the washers fn., say about one inch, and the collars n standabout the same distance in advance of the lugs Z. By this arrangement,when the buffer is fully extended, as shown in Figs. l and 4, thecombined buffer and righting springs are compressed about one inch, sothat any tendency of the buffer to assume a position at an angle to theend of the car platformis opposed by the springs, thereby not onlysquaring the buffer but also preventingit from rattling. The frontcollarsn of the stay rods are wider and larger than the openings in theend sill through which the rods pass, as shown in Fig. 4. so as toprevent the springs from moving outwardly beyond the rear side of theend sill. When the buffer is pushed inward by contact with an opposingcar, the stay rods move inward with the buffer, and during about theiirst inch of their inward movement, the combined buffing and rightingsprings are lirst relaxed and then slightly compressed, so that theyoffer only a slight resistance to coupling and uncoupling the cars. Thecontinued inward movement of the buffer causes the inner collars of thestay rods to abut against the front sides of thelugs or brackets Z, andthe shoulders of the rods to bear against the washers or collars n, asshown Fig. 2, thereby compressing the ysprings between the two collarsor washers, causing the same to act as butfing springs and supple-'ment-ing the buiiing action of thelight eX- tension spring. During thisinward movement of the stay rods, the .latter slide rearwardly throughthe tubular followers. Then the buer assumes an angular position inrounding a curve as shown in Fig. 3, both righting and bufting springsare compressed in opposite directions, the spring on the rod connectedwith the outwardly swung end of the buffer being compressed toward theend sill of the car platform by the outward movement of its follower,and the other spring being compressed toward the lug or bracket Z by theinward movement of the outer collar n of the rod. The movement of theoscillatory buffer into this angular position, is thus opposed by bothrighting and bufng springs,

so that as soon as the coupled cars round thel curve, the compressedsprings both react and return the buffer to its normal position parallelwith the end of the car, thus effectually and promptly righting thebuffer.

My improved buifer mechanism is very simple in construction, as itemploys but two side v springs for the threefold purpose of righting thelouder, preventing it from rattling and augmenting the power of thelight extension spring. Its compactness also permits the use ofcomparatively long springs,without extending any of the parts inwardlybeyond the ordinary limit, thereby rendering the spring mechanism moreeasy of action, avoiding the liability of over straining the springs andincreasing their durability.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with the stationary carplatform, and the oscillatory buffer, of tubular followers capable oflongitudinal movement on the car frame, lstay rods attached at theirouter ends to the-buffer on opposite sides of its pivot and sliding insaid followers, and springs applied to said rods and abutting againstsaid followers, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the stationary car platform, and the oscillatorybuffer, of tubular followers capable of longitudinal movement on the carframe, stay rods attached at their outer ends to the buffer on oppositesides of its pivot and sliding in said followers, stops arranged on saidrods for limiting their outward movement in said followers, and springsapplied to said rods and abutting against said followers, substantiallyas set forth.

3. The combination with the stationary car platform or frame, havinglugs or brackets, and the oscillatory buffer, of tubular followerssliding lengthwise in said lugs or brackets, stay rods attached at theirouter ends to the buffer on opposite sides of its pivot and sliding insaid followers, and springs applied to IOO IIO

said rods and bearing with their inner ends against said followers,substantially as set forth.

4. The combination with the stationary oar platform or freine havinglugs or brackets and the oscillatory buffer, of tubular followerssliding lengthwise in saidlugs or brackets,

stay rods attached at their fronty portions to' the buffer on oppositesides of its pivot, sliding with their inner portions in seid followersand provided on their front portions with shoulders, a collar or Washerarranged loosely WILLARD F. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

CARL F. GEYER, FRED. C. GEYER.

